This theistic proof is closely related to the theistic proof
based on the need for a first uncaused cause – a requirement that only eternal and
uncaused God can fulfill. This proof argues that everything that changes, and
this includes everything in this universe, requires an external Cause. This also
includes the universe itself. Therefore, there must be something or Someone who
transcends this space, time, and matter universe.
·
PREMISE 1: Everything in the universe changes.
·
PREMISE 2: The universe and everything in it changes,
because something external to the universe acts upon them.
·
CONCLUSION: There must be something external to
the universe that causes it to change!
PREMISE 1: Everything in the universe changes. This seems to be
an indisputable fact. Scientists agree that even the smallest components are in
motion. At least, their positions in space are changing. Also, it is apparent
that energy changes into matter and visa-versa. Besides, all things are
decaying.
PREMISE 2: The universe and everything in the universe changes, because
something external to the universe acts upon them. This is a little
more controversial. What causes these changes? Can something cause itself
before it even exists? We can find no uncontroversial examples of this. This
leads us to the next, more contentious, question – Can something cause itself
to change before the change exists?
Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli have written against this
possibility:
·
The changing thing cannot have now, already,
what it will come to have then. The result
of change cannot actually exist before
the change. The changing thing begins only with the potential to change, but it
needs to be acted on by other things outside if that potential is to be made
actual. Otherwise, it cannot change. (Handbook of Christian Apologetics, IVP,
50)
According to Kreeft and Tacelli, the potential for change is
not the same as the change itself. The change requires more than just
potential. It requires an agent outside of itself to act upon it. Even the
movement of molecules requires change agents beyond themselves. The laws of
science are first required to work upon them in formulaic and predictable ways.
Likewise, a ball cannot dribble itself. It too needs a cause from outside itself; nor can it cause itself to do
anything, even to decay.
Either an effect is self-caused or externally-caused. This
same principle also includes the entire universe. We cannot attribute the
universe’s change to its inner parts or some aspect of itself. This would be to
say that something causes itself, a logical and scientific impossibility. For
example, a car doesn’t run without gasoline and gasoline doesn’t combust with
the unchanging causal laws of combustion. Besides, these various forces hold
together every atom of the car. Consequently, without these laws we cannot have
the universe or any knowledge of it.
CONCLUSION: There must be something external to the universe that causes
it to change!
Kreeft writes:
·
If there is nothing outside the material
universe, then there is nothing that can cause the universe to change. But it
does change. Therefore, there must be something in addition to the material
universe.
The inseparable conglomerate of universe components, time,
matter, and space, are always in flux. Consequently, something or Someone must
be acting upon them.
Interestingly, this Someone has nothing acting upon Him.
Why? He is beyond all change agents, dwelling in transcendence, apart from time
and space. Besides, He created these changes agents, the laws of science, and
maintains them immutably without any other supporting and unchanging agents.
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